Rare 'dust devil' caught on camera in County Durham

  • Video from Gazette Media Company


A 'dust devil' has been caught on camera by fire crews in County Durham.

The natural phenomenon was captured following a large wildfire that blazed through a field near Scripton Gill, in Brandon.

It is understood the rare tornado-style 'dust devil' was caused by the freak heatwaves that have dried out many similar areas across the UK.

Dust devils are usually harmless but in some cases they can grow large enough to pose a risk to people and property.

They are most likely to develop when skies are clear and winds are light and are most commonly found in some of the world's hottest locations.

A spokesperson for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said: "Dust devils form when a pocket of hot air near the surface rises quickly through cooler air above it, forming an updraft and if conditions are just right, the updraft may begin to rotate.

"As the air rapidly rises, the column of hot air is stretched vertically."

The footage was captured when the service was called to a report of a field fire at 1:13pm on 11 August.

It took five fire engines from nearby towns to extinguish the blaze.


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